Friday, January 31, 2020

I Want None of This

Radiohead

"I Want None of This"

...
Take a lesson from me
Don't get stuck on a dream

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Monday, January 27, 2020

Yesterday

Stevie Wonder

"Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday"

What happened to, the world we knew
When we would dream and scheme
And while the time away
Yester-me, yester-you, yesterday

Where did it go, that yester-glow
When we could feel 
The wheel of life turn our way
Yester-me, yester-you, yesterday

...


#2 #8 #24 Forever

Saturday, January 25, 2020

BIG 61 & WTF in Rip CIty


Dame dropped 61 BIG ones on the Warriors inside Moda Center on MLK day (Jan. 20). Absurd! He literally willed them to victory. It was impressive and clutch. Lillard was flame-throwing threes. Some were deep, others were really deep. Some were dribble up, pull-ups. And a couple were game saving step backs. The degree of difficulty on his final three of regulation was incredibly high to say the least. Also, he didn't miss a free throw.

Lillard played so hard that you could visibly see his fatigue. Regardless, he did what his team needed him to do. It was an unselfish 61, if that even makes sense. Just saying that 61 points can be got, in an unselfish manner, is as impressive as the raw point total is. It was a show of true leadership.

Stat line: 61 pts, 17/37 fg, 16/16 ft, 11/20 3fg, 10 rb, 7 ast, 45 min, only 2 to's


°°°°°°°°°°°
Three nights later against Dallas, at home (Jan. 23), Dame lit it up again. This night however would be different. Stotts made some highly questionable coaching calls. He gave too many minutes to the new guys. Even if Ariza was hitting shots. Swanigan should not have been playing (23 minutes!). He looked lost on both ends of the floor, sometimes even running in circles on defense. Yikes. What happened to Nasir Little? Why can't he get run? During the game against Golden State Simons and Trent Jr. each played over 40 minutes in a victory. Now they get their run shortened, what gives?

Stotts even rolled out a lineup featuring Whiteside and Swanigan. That poor decision led to clustered spacing for the Blazers. Boxing out was problematic, offensive rebounds neuter teams. The pairing of two bigs was a questionable tactic, and frankly it didn't work. Overall the Trailblazers lacked organization on both sides of the ball, often looking jumbled on offense. There was poor spacing through most of the first three quarters, further hampered by the lack of flow and on court chemistry. These decisions lay at the feet of the coach!


Lillard looked pissed. Peeps were out of position as Dame found himself in tough situations, it was too unfamiliar for everybody. He couldn't rely on continuity (again, because Stotts wasn't doing him any favors with the lineups). Damian battled through it, skillfully making the right play against double teams that occurred as high as half court. Keeping in mind that CJ was out with an ankle sprain. I couldn't help but feel for Dame. 

The Blazers began the second half lethargically. Lillard hit from deep, as if to say, 'fxck it, I got to do this myself.' Then he canned another from way downtown. It was necessity at that point. Two non-calls, one on a three and another on a crafty drive, stymied his inferno. 

Dame yam'd on Porzingis in the fourth. Unfortunately, Swanigan couldn't even imagine how to guard Kristaps on the other end, which resulted in a put-back dunk and a long three. Why was the new undersized center guarding the 7'3" guy down the stretch? Ask Stotts. Dallas' bench put the game away as Portland was running on fumes.

Lillard scored 40 on an effort drive that should've drawn a whistle. He somehow summoned the will to attack and scored again. Two free throws and his last driving layup gave him 47. Dame subbed out after receiving a tech. He was visibly frustrated, rightfully so, and the refs weren't doing him any favors. A reoccurring theme on the night. 

Look, Dame's a beast. He's one of the toughest covers in the NBA, as is his opponent. Luka's a BOSS. He's gifted, crafty, intelligent and bigger than most primary ball handlers not named LeBron. I root for Dončić, he's humble and he's the future. I just wish Dame had a coach like Carlisle—adaptive, creative, and able to make in-game adjustments. Dame needs help badly! I mean, 108 points in 87 minutes, c'mon!

Statline: 47 pts, 16/28 fg, 7/7 ft, 8/15 3fg, 6 rb, 8 ast, 42 min


Only in the NBA,

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Friday, January 24, 2020

Dawn Chorus

Thom Yorke

"Dawn Chorus" | Anima

Back up the cul-de-sac
Come on, do your worst
You quit your job again
And your train of thought
If you could do it all again
A little fairy dust
A thousand tiny birds singing
If you must, you must
Please let me know
When you've had enough
...


80choices.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Brew Detective: Celebration Fresh Hop IPA 2019


First Brewed in 1981, Celebration Ale uses fresh hops from the harvest season, delicately balancing the notes of pine and citrus. The malt character is not too sweet, revealing itself visually through an amber hue. Celebration Ale is a bold wintertime classic with recognizable quality. Sometimes I wish this delicious offering was available year round, but that would defeat the purpose. Freshness is reflected through the seasonal celebration of hops each year. Thanks Sierra Nevada for being a pioneer. Craft beer lovers everywhere should raise a glass to the institution from Chico.

Sierra Nevada | Celebration Ale | 6.8% | 65 IBU

Cheers,
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Sunday, January 19, 2020

In My Room

Frank Ocean

"In My Room" | Blonded 

...
Fxck it I'm pretty still
In a pit of snakes
While serpent shakes some brand new scales
I need a new face
I'm tired of these weirdos acting familiar
Took all the rock
And turned it to pop
He think that he Elvis
And he ungrateful
They don't say thank you
They don't say grace not even for meals
Not even for millions
Fxck it I'm pretty still
... 


80choices

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

NBA 2020 (Visions)


A) Memphis has the best young core in the NBA. Give me Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, and duck duck Brooks, over any other youth-filled roster. Their front office is not only drafting talented players, but assembling a roster that works in orchestra together. If given the opportunity, this is the team with the most long-term upside. Hell, they're a playoff contending team  right now, albeit in a weaker than expected battle for the West's final playoff spot. Still, the Grizzlies play a Western Conference schedule.

Memphis has a nice pace to their offense, while also fitting it to their talent. The youngsters also go hard at opposition. Coach Taylor Jenkins is both taking advantage of his own opportunity, and installing a competent brand of philosophies on both sides of the ball. Utilizing young player's gifts and skills is no easy task. They've assembled a roster that fits, while also creating units that showcase versatility on defense. The new Grizz have begun sharpening their claws. (Side note: Outlets backed by Disney or HBO may have beat me to this, but I swear this has been in my draft folder for over a week. I know, bad on me. I am but one man. A man who loves hoops.) 

B) For as good as OKC and Indiana are, both owners of winning records, I don't see either pushing their way into The Finals. Billy Donovan's a good coach who's finally able to showcase his ideas. The Thunder play smart, especially down the stretch of games in large part due to Chris Paul. OKC plays hard, team-first basketball, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is legit.

McMillan's another coach putting in work. Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis have really grown this year as players, both are performing at all star levels. These two teams play the right way. Maybe they do have a shot. Which leads me to this, are we sure we know who will make The Finals?

Most eyes are on LA. Milwaukee's path is still easier. What about Denver? Can Houston pull a rocket out of their ass? What if Utah's the dark horse we thought they were coming into the season? Can't Dallas represent the West with a top five player? Is Boston a David in plain sight? Why can't Toronto once fully healthy return to The Finals? Is Philly really this bad, or can the Sixers flip the switch? Why not Miami? That's what 82 games and three playoff rounds are for.


C) Is Erik Spoelstra the best coach in the NBA and the most underrated? Sure he has Pat Riley in the background pulling strings and dropping rings. But the two of them seem to work in concert with one another. They draft properly (Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro), spot diamonds in the rough (Kendrick Nunn), and target the correct high-end talent (Jimmy Butler). All players who mesh well within the culture of working hard and doing it the Heat way. Miami holds multi-million dollar athletes accountable. They also sometimes fleece teams. Getting rid of Whiteside and bringing in Meyers Leonard, another hard working, team-first player, helped to facilitate the acquisition of Butler. From the front office down to the bench, this team knows who they are.

The Heat do many things well; they play team ball, they buy-in on offense and defense, and more importantly, they play hard while playing to their strengths. Miami has guys who will go to war on the basketball court, guys with fire in their bellies—with the exception of Dion Waiters, who's a total imbecile. I'm intrigued to see how far this group can go in the playoffs.

D) Will there be any major trades made? Does a contender make a splash or wait for the buyout market? Does a team like Portland, who had extremely high expectations go all in, or just play out the season? What about the three-way battle between the Blazers, Spurs, and Grizzlies for the eighth spot? Memphis still has Iguodala to use as bait. Which really bad team, if any, will sell its parts? I'm looking at you Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, NY, Minnesota, Phoenix, Sacramento, and possibly Orlando. Whether or not trades will be made, they certainly spice things up. Only in the NBA!

80choices

Monday, January 13, 2020

Texas Sun

Khruangbin & Leon Bridges

Texas Sun | EP 

You say you like the wind blowing through your hair
Come on roll with me 'til the sun goes down
Texas sun
Say you wanna hit the highway while the engine roars
Well come on roll with me 'til the sun goes down
That Texas sun, oh yeah
Texas sun


80choices